After reading several warnings that this book was different than anything else Emily Henry has written, I was nervous to start it. But once my library hold came in while I was on vacation, and I opened up the first page, I was instantly hooked by the magic of her incredible writing. I fell in love with Alice’s sunshine from the very first page, and I adored her unyielding optimism until the very end.
Margaret’s story, however, was a hit or miss. The chapters recounting her familial history were riveting at times, but I often found myself wishing I could skip over them and go back to the present with Alice and Hayden’s sizzling chemistry. I loved the slow burn of their relationship and the way Hayden fell first and harder. I was laughing through their witty banter, which flowed so naturally. The heartfelt romantic gestures between them had me kicking my feet and squealing. Their consistent honesty with each other brought a maturity to their relationship that is rare in romance novels, making for a refreshing read.
While the plot of “Great Big Beautiful Life” ranks low for me in comparison to the rest of Emily Henry’s novels, her writing is undeniably potent, bottling summer romance up into the perfect vacation read. Even though this book wasn’t my favourite, I would still encourage longtime Emily Henry fans to immerse themselves in the magic and mystery of Little Crescent, Georgia. Alice and Hayden’s whirlwind romance definitely makes this twisting pseudo-memoir worthwhile.
Five out of five stars.
Paging Kait 